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<p>Research into the functioning of the human brain is essential both for the biological assessment of the species and for our self-comprehension. However, following the “neuroscientific turn” in several areas of research, such as psychology, philosophy, and AI, interdisciplinary collaboration in this area gave birth to an important phenomenon that is still active today: “neuro-hype” or “brain-hype.” In this paper, we will inquire about one particular aspect of this widespread phenomenon: for-profit neuro-related products. Due to the lack of a vast and robust literature on the topic, the first aspect of our inquiry will concern products that have two major similarities with our focus topic: they are direct-to-consumer (DTC) health-related products, and they have a certain effect on consumer health. The second aspect of our inquiry will delve deeper into DTC neurotechnology by investigating how such products are advertised on major online platforms. In our analysis, we will consider both supplements and biomedical devices, taking into account their ratings, their cost, how they are made, their patent (if present), and will compare this information with the available research data on such objects or similar ones. Finally, this paper argues that while DTC neurotechnologies democratize access to brain health tools, they frequently fail to align with core bioethical principles—autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. These shortcomings highlight an urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure responsible development, equitable access, and transparent commercialization.</p>

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Brain-Hype and For-Profit Medical Devices

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月15日

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  • Marta Vassallo,
  • Mario Picozzi

摘要

Research into the functioning of the human brain is essential both for the biological assessment of the species and for our self-comprehension. However, following the “neuroscientific turn” in several areas of research, such as psychology, philosophy, and AI, interdisciplinary collaboration in this area gave birth to an important phenomenon that is still active today: “neuro-hype” or “brain-hype.” In this paper, we will inquire about one particular aspect of this widespread phenomenon: for-profit neuro-related products. Due to the lack of a vast and robust literature on the topic, the first aspect of our inquiry will concern products that have two major similarities with our focus topic: they are direct-to-consumer (DTC) health-related products, and they have a certain effect on consumer health. The second aspect of our inquiry will delve deeper into DTC neurotechnology by investigating how such products are advertised on major online platforms. In our analysis, we will consider both supplements and biomedical devices, taking into account their ratings, their cost, how they are made, their patent (if present), and will compare this information with the available research data on such objects or similar ones. Finally, this paper argues that while DTC neurotechnologies democratize access to brain health tools, they frequently fail to align with core bioethical principles—autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. These shortcomings highlight an urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure responsible development, equitable access, and transparent commercialization.